Thursday, April 11, 2013

Letters of Value and New Life

My grandfather (known to me as Opa) wrote me a letter the day I was born. Being a well-organized family (ahem), the letter was lost in the abyss of my house for the next twenty years. When I finally received the letter for the first time since being able to read, it became one of my most treasured possessions. My grandfather was out of the country the day I was born and wrote to me of the people around the world rejoicing and praising God for my birth. It is a pretty inspiring letter, and at 24 it really gives me confidence as I look back on where God has taken me since that day. I feel like I was born an international kid, and that has been the driving force of my life since. I cherish his words and his account of when I was born, and I am so grateful for that letter.

So today I am giving a letter, to a little girl named Ayden who was prayed for and hoped for, and now she is here. I am so glad to be a part of her life here in California, and I want to do for her what my grandfather did for me. I want her to know how excited we were that she was coming, how the weather seemed to get crazy in order to tell us, "She is on her way. Your world will never be the same!" I want her to know how her mom and I cried when we thought she might not be able to ever have a little girl of her own, and how much we cried when we found out God had listened to our pleas. I want to be sure and let her know that her mom was in labor for 30 hours, so when she gets sassy perhaps she will remember to be grateful. I guess in general I just want her to know that she came into this world surrounded by love, and that for the rest of her life she will be wanted and cared for. I want her to find this letter 24 years later and feel confident that she was made to do great things.

If you have kids, or nieces and nephews, or little ones you like to love on, give them a hug or write them a letter today. Let them know their worth and value. Even if they cannot read now, one day they will be able to, and your words will mean the world.

Welcome baby Ayden. You are such a precious gift, and we are so glad you are finally here.

2 comments:

Aww, that's so touching about your grandfather! It's funny because I wrote Ayden a letter on her birthday too! :) I wish I would have gotten letters when I was born to read at a later date... Also Ayden's story is just so extra special!